Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Welfare Reform/TANF

TANF Emergency Fund Extension is Critical to Saving 100,000 Jobs

The Senate should include President Obama’s proposal to extend for one year and modestly expand the TANF Emergency Fund in the bill it is crafting to respond to historically high unemployment and weak consumer demand. The Fund allows states to provide many unemployed, low-income parents with subsidized private-sector jobs at a very economical cost per job.

The Fund is set to expire on September 30, 2010, at a time when unemployment is expected still to be at or near double-digit levels and growing numbers of people will have exhausted their unemployment benefits. Unless Congress extends the Fund soon, few states will continue their subsidized employment programs beyond September 30, and many of the 100,000 jobs created will be lost. Read more

Topics

Basics

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant provides federal funds to states for income assistance programs for poor families with children, welfare-to-work efforts, work supports such as child care, and other social services for low-income families. Roughly 4 million Americans receive TANF-funded assistance.

Policy Basics:
- An Introduction to TANF

Featured Experts

LaDonna Pavetti Ph.D.

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Liz Schott

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Arloc Sherman

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The Center conducts research and analysis on federal TANF issues as well as state policy choices and implementation issues. We also provide technical assistance to state policymakers and policy analysts to help states design their TANF programs to reach more eligible families and meet families’ particular needs.